“Today’s episode is an analysis of a personal essay from Dr. Jaime Hoerricks, who identifies as a descendant of those impacted by the so-called Highland Clearances and also as neurodivergent and trans. Dr. Hoerricks critiques the celebration of Tartan Day in the United States, arguing that it promotes a sanitised version of Scottish heritage that ignores the forced displacement, cultural erasure, and violence inflicted upon the Gaelic people. They connect this historical injustice to modern capitalism and colonialism, suggesting that the Clearances served as a prototype for later exploitative practices. Through personal experiences, including participation in Highland Games, Dr. Hoerricks reflects on the complexities of embodying a heritage marked by both resilience and the erasure of painful truths. Ultimately, the essay is a call for a more honest and critical engagement with Scottish history, one that acknowledges the genocide and remembers the resistance of those who were displaced.”
Here’s a link to the source essay: https://open.substack.com/pub/autside/p/what-empire-erases-we-remember
Let me know what you think.
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